Results 12,441-12,460 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (5 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This is a technical amendment which seeks to correct the incorrect use of the plural.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (5 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This is also a drafting amendment. Amendment agreed to.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The purpose of the amendment is to address an instance of incorrect punctuation. Amendment agreed to. Government amendment No. 2:

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This a similar amendment. Amendment agreed to. Section 2, as amended, agreed to. Sections 3 to 6, inclusive, agreed to. Amendment No. 3 not moved. Section 7 agreed to. Amendments Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, not moved. Section 8 agreed to. Sections 9 and 10 agreed to. SECTION 11. Government amendment No. 8: In page 10, subsection (2)(b), line 8, to delete "subsection (1)(c)" and substitute...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The purpose of the amendment is to address an incorrect subsection reference. Amendment agreed to. Section 11, as amended, agreed to. Section 12 agreed to. SECTION 13.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: It is not proposed to accept the amendment, the effect of which would be that a copy of any policy direction issued by the Minister to the authority under section 13 would have to be laid before each House. This would be a departure from practice and may represent an undue encroachment by the Legislature on the Executive function. On balance, one cannot see how making every policy direction...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The effect of this amendment would be that any person appointed to the board would have to face a committee which could deem that person unsuitable. There is no doubt this could lead to a major political wrangle over nominations and would lead to opposition to appointments for political reasons. This would not be conducive to the good working of the board and everybody would agree with that....

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: I agree it is important that people with expertise are appointed to boards, where possible. This expertise can take the form of expert knowledge on a given subject but can also take the form of common sense, which is often the most important ingredient in decisions boards take. It would be unprecedented for the Government to set up a committee system to vet members of the National Tourism...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This is always a difficult subject. The Equal Status Act, 2000 and the Employment Equality Act, 1998, which I moved in this House as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, govern equality in terms of employment and the provision of services. The grounds mentioned in those Acts are far wider than that of gender and include areas such as ethnic origin, religion, sexual preference...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The term of membership of Bord Fáilte Éireann currently stands at five years and members may be reappointed. Membership of CERT is three years while reappointment is allowed. The chairman has a five year term. It has long been the case with Bord Fáilte that members serve a five year term. This allows for continuity for the board and ensures the executive is relatively vigilant. Having...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The maximum term for which an individual can serve is ten years. The Government will be in office for ten years and it is doing a great job.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: If the board does even half as well, it will be a great success.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: That advice has been taken on board and the rotation period will be three years. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Amendment No. 14 not moved. Section 14 agreed to. Sections 15 to 17, inclusive, agreed to.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: The Senator will agree there is nothing worse than having a meeting simply for the sake of it. This happens all too frequently. On the other hand, it is important that the board meets regularly. I understand it currently meets once a month. The Senator seeks to invoke a sense of authority and urgency by making the holding of a meeting every quarter a statutory imperative. I have no objection...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: There is a constitutional difficulty with this amendment. I cannot see how one could deprive a member of an authority of membership on the basis outlined by the Senator. I cannot accept the amendment.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: Given the time of the year, I suppose Senator Quinn did not expect turkeys to vote for Christmas. In the same way, I support the other Senators. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand," put and declared carried. Amendment declared lost. Amendments Nos. 17 to 19, inclusive, not moved.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: They may have got in first, but as far as this legislation is concerned, they will have to come in second. The figure is €3,000 because that sum represents the upper limit of what can be imposed by the District Court. It is not for me to justify why the other Bill provides for €2,000 as I am not responsible for that legislation. In this case, the District Court's upper limit is the...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This is simply a drafting amendment to correct punctuation. Amendment agreed to. Section 22, as amended, agreed to. SECTION 23. Question proposed: "That section 23 stand part of the Bill."

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: This section permits the authority to establish committees to advise it in relation to the performance of its functions or to perform functions the authority delegates to it. It also provides for the payment of members' travelling expenses subject to the consent of the Minister and Minister for Finance.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

John O'Donoghue: Senator Daly raises a very good point. No relationship between the new authority, to be known as Fáilte Éireann, and the Shannon Free Airport Development Company is proscribed or specified in the legislation, nor is any proscribed between the new authority and any other regional tourism body. The question of structures has exercised many minds over several years and it is best to address...